Visiting Scholar Position 2014-2015

Position Description:

The Center for Belarusian Studies supports one or more visiting scholars annually. The purpose of this program is to encourage the professional development of carefully selected Belarusian scholars through a variety of activities at the Center, located in Winfield, Kansas, USA, and elsewhere in the United States. Typically, the visiting scholars are recent graduates of master’s or doctoral programs (or their equivalents), are active scholars and researchers, are native speakers of Belarusian, and have a demonstrated commitment not only to returning to Belarus following the program but to working actively toward that country’s societal renaissance.

Deadline for Submission: June 1, 2014

Responsibilities

CBS Visiting Scholars are expected to continue their research goals, contribute to professional and classroom presentation on Belarus (according to area specialties), as well as contribute 20 hours per week to the running of the Center.

In addition to pursuing their own research goals, visiting scholars lecture at the Center and elsewhere within the Southwestern College academic community, at civic gatherings in the local community and regionally, and at other institutions of higher education in the United States on topics related to the professional competencies of the scholar as well as, more generally, on Belarus-history, culture, current events. This program allows for the development and teaching of one or more undergraduate courses on Belarus at Southwestern College during the scholar’s tenure on campus.

Scholars also meet, as invited, with communities of the North American Belarusian Diaspora to brief them on developments in Belarus and to publicize widely the existence and activities of the Center for Belarusian Studies. In addition, the Center facilitates attendance at professional conferences as a Center representative in giving peer reviewed papers. The Center offers financial aid for such presentations where deemed appropriate.

When necessary, visiting scholars have supported special events organized by the Center (such as conferences and symposia), by acting as presenters, aiding in logistical planning, and providing language interpretation for visiting dignitaries and scholars.

The Visiting Scholar is responsible, under the supervision of the CBS associate executive director at Southwestern and the CBS office manager, for maintaining the CBS web site and the Center’s Facebook page. This responsibility includes the following: 1) technical capability to post, delete, and manipulate web content and design; 2) responsibility for generating draft site material for review by CBS managers and posting; 3) posting material generated by CBS managers or others.

Application for Visiting Scholar Position CBS 2014-2015

1. Personal information (you may attach a CV).

Name:

Date of Birth:

Current Position:

Research Interests:

Languages:

Education:

Teaching Experience:

Publications:

Pertinent Extra Curricular Interests:

2. Short essay or statement (approximately 500 words) as to why the applicant feels he/she would benefit from the program and outlining the applicant’s long-term professional goals (this essay should be written in English);

3. Time period for which the applicant is applying (the Center prefers that scholars be available for an academic year, i.e. from early September through early June);

4. A list of at least three references and their contact information;

5. Preferred date(s) for a personal interview (typically the Center conducts interviews for this program in either: Vilnius, Lithuania, or Warsaw, Poland); or by Skype or telephone conference when necessary.